# The Former Casts of Popular Shows: Most Successful and Least Successful **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 31, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992 "2013-07-31T15:02:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/1 "2013-07-31T15:02:03Z")
For this thread, take TV show (ongoing or not), and identify the least-successful and most-successful former cast members. For example: _The Facts of Life_: The least successful actor/actress post-FoL would probably be Nancy McKeon (Jo), who compared to her castmates (all of whom have found steady, if not remarkable, work since the show ended), has faded into almost obscurity. The most successful actor/actress post FoL would probably be a bit actor who played a secondary character, whose name is George Clooney. Or _Saturday Night Live_: The most successful post-SNL would probably be Adam Sandler or Eddie Murphy\*, recent box-office flops aside. The least successful would be any number of out-of-work bit actors who probably don’t even have a wikipedia page. \*In terms of financial success, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss probably beats Sandler or Murphy. She inherited an amount that, IIRC, was in the billions, from her family. ---
**Author:** ![Zeke\_N.Destroi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/4af34b/32.png) [@Zeke\_N.Destroi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeke_N.Destroi)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/2 "2013-07-31T15:50:49Z")
For _SNL_ I’d have to go with Bill Murray as most successful and who/whatever played the Pat character as , at least one of, the least. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/3 "2013-07-31T15:56:58Z")
Julia Sweeney, who is fucking hilarious. If you haven’t heard her talk about explaining sex to her daughter, get to youtube right now. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/4 "2013-07-31T15:57:16Z")
_SCTV_ Least successful: Joe Flaherty Naming the most successful is difficult. I’d go with Harold Ramis over John Candy; much of Ramis’s success was as a director/screenwriter. But most of the rest of the cast (Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis) have had very successful careers. **Star Trek** (original) Probably Shatner for most successful. Grace Lee Whitney has the least success. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/5 "2013-07-31T16:00:02Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > For example: _The Facts of Life_: > > The least successful actor/actress post-FoL would probably be Nancy McKeon (Jo), who compared to her castmates (all of whom have found steady, if not remarkable, work since the show ended), has faded into almost obscurity. She’s worked fairly steadily; Blair/Lisa Whelchel has gotten more press lately because of _Survivor_ and her divorce, but she’s been pretty much retired since the '80s other than for FOL related reunions. (She’s trying to jump-start her career now that her kids are grown and she needs the money.) ## I didn’t realize Mindy Cohn was as busy as she is; she’s a voice actress now. (Not career related, just trivia: she’s also godmother to some of Brad & Angelina’s brood.) TAXI Most successful: Danny Devito Several- most in fact- have worked steadily- but I’d give him the nod since he probably had the biggest paychecks and definitely has the most big-screen cred. Lease successful (even before his death): Jeff Conaway He was faded pretty-boy in looks and just a total sad train wreck due to drugs. I wonder how actors like him pay the rent. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/6 "2013-07-31T16:00:35Z")
> [@Zeke\_N.Destroi](#): > > For _SNL_ I’d have to go with Bill Murray as most successful and who/whatever played the Pat character as , at least one of, the least. Oh, there are plenty less successful than Julia Sweeney. Remember Dan Vitale? For _ **Family Ties** _ I’ll say Michael J Fox and Tina Yothers. Another interesting thread would be which shows had the biggest overall success in later shows, and which casts had the least. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/7 "2013-07-31T16:03:58Z")
Anyone remember Melanie Hutsell from SNL? One critic called her “the woman of a thousand characters, all of them Jan Brady”. Looked her up out of curiosity: left show business altogether, taught at a college for a while, had a small role in _Bridesmaids_. Victoria Jackson has no career other than for her occasional contributions to the field of batshit crazy and dogshit stupid. (Even Bill O’Reilly could barely keep from calling her a nut on a recent interview.) I had a crush on Gary Kroeger when I was a teenager- he was really cute. Never did anything of note after leaving SNL. (He was part of a performing trio with Brad Hall and Julia Louis Dreyfuss when he joined the cast.) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/8 "2013-07-31T16:04:14Z")
For biggest SNL star I’d put Robert Downey Jr. over Murphy or Sandler. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/9 "2013-07-31T16:08:03Z")
For SNL, Mike Myers has to be in the running also. The Austin Powers and Shrek franchises make a pretty good portfolio, I imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/10 "2013-07-31T16:08:36Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > For biggest SNL star I’d put Robert Downey Jr. over Murphy or Sandler. In fact he’s currently the [highest paid actor](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/17/highest-paid-actors-2013-robert-downey-jr_n_3610252.html)in Hollywood. _Firefly_/_Serenity_ Most successful- Nathan Fillion (Castle and various movie projects) Least successful- Sean Maher (though he quit for a time to be a stay at home dad, which makes me assume his partner is rich) ---
**Author:** ![tullsterx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/11 "2013-07-31T16:11:00Z")
I think you need to include Mike Myers along with Sandler and Murphy. Wayne’s World, Austin Powers, Shrek, three huge movie series and a few others. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/12 "2013-07-31T16:12:06Z")
For Growing Pains, I’d guess Jeremy Miller as least successful acting-wise; he hasn’t done much post GP, but I don’t know that he’s really tried. For most successful, Brad Pitt if bit parts count, Alan Thicke if they don’t. ---
**Author:** ![tullsterx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/13 "2013-07-31T16:14:17Z")
Mash. . . . hell, nobody did a lot. I guess Alan Alda, but I was always kinda surprised that he didn’t end up with a major film career. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/14 "2013-07-31T16:19:59Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > TAXI > > Most successful: Danny Devito > Several- most in fact- have worked steadily- but I’d give him the nod since he probably had the biggest paychecks and definitely has the most big-screen cred. More than Doc Brown and Professor Plum? I must just watch more Christopher Lloyd movies than Danny Devito movies 🙂 Although he does get extra points for _Always Sunny_. * * * It’s hard to say for the cast of **Seinfeld** - at least for most successful. I think Jerry Seinfeld has stayed relatively important while the others dipped in and out of success. Jason Alexander is crazy popular on Broadway, right? And Julia Louis-Dreyfus had her own show and now another with _Veep_, which is quite good. Michael Richards definitely is the worst, tho. ---
**Author:** ![Renifer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@Renifer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renifer)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/15 "2013-07-31T16:23:22Z")
_Buffy The Vampire Slayer_: Most successful: Allyson Hannigan, who’s in another hit show and people also know her from the _American Pie_ movies. Seth Green is also very popular, but because he was well-known before he joined Buffy, Hannigan wins the title. Least successful: Sadly, Nicholas Brandon has not done much else in showbiz since _Buffy_ and he’s had some problems with the law. It’s a shame because I really liked Xander and I would have liked to see Brandon in other films/TV spots. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/16 "2013-07-31T16:32:26Z")
Has anybody from _Boy Meets World_ done anything of note since the show ended? _The Cosby Show_- Most successful: Phyllicia Rashad (stage and TV successes) Least successful: Sabrina Labeauf (though she may be active in theater) [QUOTE=Renifer] Least successful: Sadly, Nicholas Brandon has not done much else in showbiz since _Buffy_ and he’s had some problems with the law. It’s a shame because I really liked Xander and I would have liked to see Brandon in other films/TV spots. [/QUOTE] My best friend swears that he sees him drinking at a bar he goes to in Atlanta a good bit now (unless it’s his identical twin- he does have one). Anyone know if he’s moved? ---
**Author:** ![Zeke\_N.Destroi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/4af34b/32.png) [@Zeke\_N.Destroi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeke_N.Destroi)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/17 "2013-07-31T16:37:32Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Oh, there are plenty less successful than Julia Sweeney. Remember Dan Vitale?..snip Yeah, after I posted I checked her Wiki page and it seems that my hatred of Pat led me to believe that no one who could stand behind such an asinine and irritating character couldn’t possibly have done much else afterward. And, no, I’ve never even heard of Dan Vitale. Point to you 😃 I still maintain - despite paycheque size - that Bill Murray is the most successful ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/18 "2013-07-31T16:46:26Z")
Married… With Children Most Successful: Ed O’Neill (with Katie Segal a close second) Least Successful: Amanda Bearse (with David Faustino a close second) ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/19 "2013-07-31T16:53:48Z")
“Cheers” Most successful: (surprizingly ?) Woody Harrelson Least successful: (sad to say) Rhea Perlman (has she been in anything since ?) ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/20 "2013-07-31T16:57:18Z")
> [@Zeke\_N.Destroi](#): > > I still maintain - despite paycheque size - that Bill Murray is the most successful That’s a good point. Bill Murray’s career is in smaller films these days because he chooses to do that. And he refuses to be in a _ **Ghosbusters 3** _, should there be one. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992.md?page=2)